AU2006202825A1 - An extrusion - Google Patents

Description

P001 Section 29 Regulation 3.2(2)

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Application Number: Lodged: Invention Title: An extrusion The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us:

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AN EXTRUSION The present invention relates to an extrusion and, in particular, an extrusion for a door frame. In a particularly preferred embodiment, this invention relates to a door frame for a security door.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION ISecurity doors are routinely installed in houses and the like to prevent (access to unwanted or unwelcome persons. The main role of a security door is 00 (provide a mesh which does not permit the arms or the legs of a would-be intruder from reaching through the door way. The mesh is typically supported within a door frame.

Security doors often include two forms of mesh screen. A finer mesh which prevents people from reaching into the doorway, and a larger mesh in the form of a grille, is often used. However, finer mesh is able to be deformed easily, and the grille allows implements into the house, therefore the combination of the large and fine mesh provides security for the occupants of the home. The grille can however be unsightly and can impede the view through the door. More recent security door designs have therefore used a single sheet of the finer mesh which is made from high strength material such as stainless steel, without the need for any larger mesh screen.

These door designs are only capable of being used to support the finer mesh and cannot be used to support the larger mesh.

The finer mesh is fixed to the door frame by screws or rivets which, to maintain the finer mesh within the door frame, requires apertures to be provided in both the mesh and the door frame attached at the edge.

However, in the event that extreme force is applied to the mesh, such as a kick or hitting the mesh with a heavy instrument the mechanical fasteners have a tendency to shear and thereby fail to secure the mesh within the frame. Another fault which may occur is that the apertures can become larger and tear when a sufficiently high force is placed on the mesh, releasing the mesh from the door frame and thereby allowing a person to reach into the house, or force an implement such as a knife into the house.

It would be desirable to provide an extrusion that may be utilised in door frames which overcomes one or more of the above mentioned disadvantages.

O SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect, the present invention provides an extrusion for use in a frame for a door, such as a mesh screen door, the extrusion including: a body; and first and second limbs extending from the body and defining a channel therebetween for receiving an edge of a mesh screen, each limb providing at least one off-set formation extending into the channel; and 00 wherein the limbs are co-operable with a retaining member to urge the mesh screen over the formations, such that the mesh screen is locked in the S 10 channel.

In a preferred embodiment at least one of the limbs further includes surface formations to assist with the retention of the retaining member within the channel. In a particularly preferred embodiment, at least one of the offset formations is in the form of a lug or a rib or a shoulder which extends from or forms part of the limb. The offset formations are therefore provided on opposing sides of the mesh and thereby assist in retaining the mesh, and prevent it from being pulled from the channel when the retaining member is inserted into the channel.

The body may include a void to reduce the weight of the door, while still providing the strength required for a security door.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a door assembly including: a mesh screen; a frame formed from an extrusion having a body and first and second limbs extending from the body and defining a channel therebetween for receiving an edge of the mesh screen, each limb providing at least one offset formation extending into the channel; and a retaining member located between the limbs to urge the mesh screen over the formations such that the mesh screen is secured in the channel.

the retaining member is preferably formed by a plastic material, such as polyurethane, or any other suitable plastic material. In a particularly preferred embodiment, at least one of the limbs includes surface formations to assist in O retention of the member to prevent either the member or the mesh from being

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C removed from the channel.

The door assembly may also include an insulator which is placed over the edge of the mesh to protect the mesh. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the mesh is formed from stainless steel, and the door frame is formed from aluminium. It will also be appreciated that other suitable materials may be used in the door assembly.

00 The extrusion according to the present invention eliminates the need for apertures to be provided within the door frame and the mesh screen as no

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screens or rivets are required. Furthermore, no special tooling is required to secure the mesh screen to the door frame. This helps to improve the overall strength of the door when an external force is applied to the door while at the same time being relatively straight forward to build.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an extrusion according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a side cross-sectional elevation of the extrusion of Figure 1.

Figures 3 and 4 respectively illustrate an edge of a mesh screen and a retaining member being inserted into the extrusion of Figure 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring now to Figure 1, there is shown an extrusion 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The extrusion 1 includes a body 6 which may include a void 6a to reduce the weight of the extrusion 1, a first limb 3 and a second limb 4 extending from the body 6 to define a channel 2 therebetween.

The channel 2 includes an outer section 2a located adjacent the opening of the channel 2, and an inner section 2b. Surface formations 7a in the form of a series of parallel ribs are provided on an innermost wall of the channel inner section 2b.

The limbs 3 and 4 include formations 5a and 5b extending into the channel. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the formations 5a and 5b are offset such that when the limbs cooperate with a retaining member 10 to urge a mesh 8 against the 0 formations 5a and 5b. The formations 5a and 5b cause the bending of the mesh to retain the mesh within the channel 2.

Figure 2 shows a side view of the frame shown in Figure 1 in which the formations 5a and 5b may be seen more clearly. Formation 5a includes a lug or rib or shoulder arrangement to engage and grip the mesh when inserted.

Formation 5b is a shoulder arrangement which can also act to engage the mesh which inserted. The limb 4 includes surface formations 7 in the form of a series of

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parallel ribs to assist in holding in place a retaining member 10, as shown in Figure 4.

Referring specifically now to Figure 3, and 4, there is shown an edge of a mesh screen 8 inserted into the channel 2 of the extrusion 1 before the mesh 8 is bent. The mesh 8 also includes a plastic insulator 9 to protect the edge of the mesh. The mesh 8 is inserted into the channel 2 at an angle as shown in Figure 3 such that it enters the inner section 2b of the channel 2. Referring now to Figure 4, the mesh 8 is retained by moving the mesh 8 towards the limb 3 and inserting a retaining member 10. Moving the mesh 8 towards the limb 3 causes the mesh 8 to bend about the formation 5b in a first direction and subsequently bend about the formation 5a in a second direction, to engage the frame 1 at two points thus securing the mesh 8 to the frame 1. The edge of the mesh 8 engages the surface formations 7a within the channel inner section 2b as the mesh 8 is moved towards limb 3 so that the mesh 8 is prevented from moving away from the formation 5a on the second limb 4. This thereby forces the mesh 8 to also bend around formation Referring now to Figure 4 the retaining member 10 is shown within the channel 2. The retaining member 10 is forced into the channel, to engage with both the mesh 8 and the surface formations 7 of limb 4, with a mallet or other such implement. Forcing the retaining member 10 into the channel 2 causes the mesh 8 to be bent at the formations 5a and 5b such that the mesh is difficult to dislodge, even when an external force is applied to the mesh 8.

The extrusion 1 can alternatively support a larger grille (not shown) having a greater thickness than the mesh within the outer section 2a of the channel 2.

This thereby allows the extrusion 1 to accommodate both fine mesh and larger grilles.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention described above is c1 susceptible to variations and modifications are even more specifically described.

It is to be understood that the invention includes all such variations and modifications. The invention also includes all of the features and products referred to or indicated in the specification, individually or collectively in any or all combinations of two or more of the features.

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Claims (5)

1. An extrusion for use in a frame for a door, such as a mesh screen door, ;Z the extrusion including: t' a body; and first and second limbs extending from the body and defining a channel c therebetween for receiving an edge of a mesh screen, each limb providing at 00oo c least one off-set formation extending into the channel; and c wherein the limbs are co-operable with a retaining member to urge the mesh screen over the formations, such that the mesh screen is locked in the channel.

2. An extrusion according to claim 1 wherein the at least one offset formation is in the form of a lug or shoulder provided by the limb.

3. A door assembly including: a mesh screen; a frame formed from an extrusion having a body and first and second limbs extending from the body and defining a channel therebetween for receiving an edge of the mesh screen, each limb providing at least one offset formation extending into the channel; and a retaining member located between the limbs to urge the mesh screen over the formations such that the mesh screen is secured in the channel.

4. A door frame according to claim 3 wherein at least one of the limbs includes surface formations to assist in retention of the retaining member to prevent either the retaining member or the mesh from being removed from the channel. N

5. An extrusion for use in a frame for a door substantially as hereinbefore described with respect to what is shown in the accompanying drawings. DATED this 30th day of June 2006 S 5 ABRA PRODUCTS PTY LTD oo 00 NO SWATERMARK PATENT TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS S290 BURWOOD ROAD HAWTHORN VICTORIA 3122 AUSTRALIA